U.S. News: The Citadel is No. 1 best value in the South

The Citadel is the only South Carolina college that combines a quality undergraduate education with outstanding value, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The Citadel ranked the No. 1 best value among Southern colleges and is the No. 2 best public institution in the South among those offering up to a master’s degree. According to U.S. News editors, “the most significant values are among colleges that are above average academically.”

“This No. 1 ranking recognizes our commitment to keeping the cost of a Citadel education as low as possible for our parents while also providing an excellent academic and leadership development program for our students,” said Citadel President Lt. Gen. John Rosa.

Curt Holland, vice president for finance and business affairs, said: “Our mission is to educate principled leaders and clearly outside evaluations show we do it at a bargain.”

In the 2008 rankings, The Citadel is also:

No. 5 among the best public and private universities in the South offering up to a master’s degree but few, if any, doctoral programs. The college was No. 7 last year.

No. 38 among the nation’s best undergraduate engineering programs at schools where the highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.

“The Citadel has that combination of value and outstanding academic quality that sets it apart in the rankings,” said Sam Hines, provost and dean of the college. “You can get an outstanding education for the best price at the No. 2 ranked public university in the South right here at The Citadel.”

The annual U.S. News ranking categorizes The Citadel is in the group of institutions offering a full range of undergraduate and master's programs. The engineering school is ranked with undergraduate programs nationwide.

The U.S. News rankings appear in the 2008 edition of America's Best Colleges guidebook, which is available at U.S. News Online at www.usnews.com and in the magazine on newsstands Aug. 20.

Achieving excellence in the education and development of principled leaders